1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of compound bows and more specifically to a low friction cable slide guide which reduces cable wear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The basic configuration and operation of compound bows is generally known as they have been in use for a long time. Compound bows are used a great deal in archery, especially hunting, because they provide several distinct advantages. Compound bows provide the archer with a mechanical advantage which reduces the maximum draw weight and allows the archer to hold full draw at a draw weight less then that maximum. Also, the system achieves more gradual arrow acceleration upon release with reduced stress on the arrow and the archer. In these and other ways, arrow speed and shooting accuracy are increased.
Compound bows normally have a cable or bowstring which spans the length of the bow and defines a central arrow receiving portion. The cable further extends over end cable wheels or pulleys at the extremes of the length of the bow close to or about parallel to the bowstring cable. The two ends of the cable cross and are attached to the appropriate pulley.
In this manner, however, all the cable strands, including the bowstring, lie in the plane of the center portions of the pulleys. If this situation remained the additional strands of cable would clearly interfere with the bowstring and the arrow being shot.
To alleviate this problem compound bows are normally provided with cable guards which typically include a rod which is fixed to the bow above the arrow window and extends toward the archer, separating and thereby spacing the additional strands of cable from the bowstring cable allowing the arrow to pass therebetween. Unfortunately, the alignment of the cables with each other is such that they necessarily contact each other and rub against each other and the cable guard where they pass by it. This friction causes undue cable wear and adds undesirable noise to the operation of the bow. It can readily be seen that a need exists to provide a slide guide cable separation device that assures proper cable separation during bow operation which prevents frictional wear of the cables both by rubbing against each other and against the cable guard.
One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,228, issued to Smith on June 24, 1986. That cable separator positions the two inner cables on either side of the cable guard. That invention accomplishes separation, however, it is not apparent how well the bowstring is avoided or that frictional wear is reduced. Thus, not only is it desirable that proper separation be achieved, but also frictional wear need be reduced with regard to the cables, cable guard and cable separator. Cable replacement is quite expensive.